Posts from the "Research & Development" category
UK: Genomics helps detect Salmonella outbreaks
Food Safety Watch:Â Public Health England (PHE) has released information about how it uses the developing science of genomics to identify and characterise Salmonella isolates and detect related clusters of illness that could signify foodborne outbreaks.
Read Article →NZ: Cadmium-resistant potato developed in NZ
Fresh Plaza: A new line of potatoes have been developed in New Zealand by University of Canterbury researchers. The potatoes are potentially resistant to cadmium, a highly toxic metal found in soil which is harmful to crops and can contribute to health issues in humans.
Read Article →US: Study measures how much restaurant management knows about food allergens
Food Safety Magazine: Last month, the Journal of Foodservice Business Research published a study indicating that restaurant managerial staffers have a lot to learn when it comes to food allergies–even those who have gone through training.
Researchers at Auburn University surveyed 110 U.S. restaurant managerial employees–owners, managers and chefs–from both independent and chain establishments. The overall goal was to find out how aware and prepared these staff members are in terms of serving customers with food allergies.
Read Article →AU: Is double-dipping a food safety problem or just a nasty habit?
The Conversation: What do you do when you are left with half a chip in your hand after dipping? Admit it, you’ve wondered whether it’s OK to double dip the chip.
Maybe you’re the sort who dips their chip only once. Maybe you look around the room before loading your half-eaten chip with a bit more dip, hoping that no one will notice.
Read Article →US: Projects follow Salmonella‘s route through irrigation water
Center for Produce Safety: A pair of research projects that focus on Salmonella and its relationship to irrigation water are designed to help Southeastern producers better understand associated risks and steps they can take to address them. The first one, led by George Vellidis, Ph.D. and a professor in the University of Georgia’s Crop and Soil Sciences Department, looked at whether Salmonella moves through irrigation systems of Southeastern produce farms. Part of the project … examined water sampling methods.
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A-NZ: New Zealand and Tasmania join forces in agricultural research and education
Lincoln University: The agriculture and food sectors of Tasmania and New Zealand, which have much in common, are set to benefit from the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Lincoln University and the University of Tasmania. The MoU was signed as part of a three day Tasmanian Government-led delegation visit to Lincoln University.
The MoU formalises current research collaborations and paves the way for new research opportunities in dairy, vegetables, viticulture, apples, pasture production, and food safety and innovation.
Read Article →Infections diseases and biosecurity colloquium at the Marie Bashir Institute
6 November 2015
The Marie Bashir Institute Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity (MBI) is hosting a colloqium at the University of Sydney on Friday 6 November.
The colloquium is open to anyone with an interest in the areas of emerging/re-emerging infectious diseases and biosecurity, with a particular emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region.
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US: Reusable plastic containers are difficult to clean
Food Safety News: New research continues to demonstrate that typical cleaning doesn’t actually sanitize the reusable plastic containers (RPCs) used to transport fruits, vegetables, poultry and other foods.
In a study publicized earlier this year, Steven Ricke, director of the University of Arkansas Center for Food Safety, and his team grew Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli O157:H7 on RPC surfaces and then subjected them to cleaning and sanitizing practices typical in the industry. They found that bacterial biofilms could still survive on the surface of RPC material.
Read Article →US: Center for produce safety announces its $20,000,000 campaign for produce safety
Center for Produce Safety: Since its inception in 2007, the Center for Produce Safety has provided $16.4 million to fund critically-needed, actionable produce safety research. To expand this vital work, the Center today announced the “Campaign for Produce Safety,” a major fundraising initiative designed to secure $20 million in funding over the next five years.
Initial contributions to the campaign already total $4,720,000, demonstrating a strong conviction that food safety is a shared responsibility of the entire produce supply chain, from growers to shippers to retailers. Several industry leaders have stepped up early in the campaign to signal their support and their intent to advance timely research to keep produce products safe in the United States and worldwide.
Click here to read the full article from the Center for Produce Safety.
EU: Risk factors for Salmonella, shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and Campylobacter occurrence in primary production of leafy greens and strawberries
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health: The microbiological sanitary quality and safety of leafy greens and strawberries were assessed in the primary production in Belgium, Brazil, Egypt, Norway and Spain by enumeration of Escherichia coli and detection of Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and Campylobacter. Water samples were more prone to containing pathogens (54 positives out of 950 analyses) than soil (16/1186) and produce on the field (18/977 for leafy greens and 5/402 for strawberries). The prevalence of pathogens also varied markedly according to the sampling region. Flooding of fields increased the risk considerably, with odds ratio (OR) 10.9 for Salmonella and 7.0 for STEC.
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